Letter-box indicator



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

G. A. COLTON.

LETTER BOX INDICATOR.

Patented Feb. 5, 1889.

N. PEYERi. Pholo-blhugriplmr, Washinghm D. C.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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(NoModeL) G. A. GOLTON.

LETTER BOX INDICATOR.

No. 397,341. Patented Feb. 5, 1889L wi/twe/weo,

N, PETERS. PhoIo-Lilhagnphn, Washingmn. n1;

tion of the arrows.

UNTTEE TATEs PATENT OEETEE.

GEORGE A. COLTON, OF PIHENIX, NEW YORK.

LETTER-BOX mole/woe.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,341, dated February5, 1889.

Application filed May 2, 1388.

T0 aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. Conron, a citizen of the United States,residing at Phoenix, in the county of Oswego, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Indicators forLetter-Boxes, &c., of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has relation to an automatic indicator for use primarilyin connection with letter-boxes of that character which are employed forthe collection of mail matter, the purpose of the indicator being toshow the times of successive collection.

The invention is also applicable to any use which requires an automaticannouncement of successive times of the occurrence of successive acts oftheparties using the same.

The objects and advantages will appear in the following description, andthe novel features will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of theinner surface of the side wall of a letter-box having attached I theretoan indicator constructed in accord-;

anee with my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the outer surfaceof said side wall with portions thereof broken away to illustrate partsof the indicator. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the indicator detachedand having the dial-plate and pivot-bolt removed, showing the parts ofthe indicator which are arranged beneath said plate Fig. -1 is a plan ofthe dial-plate as it appears on its under surface. on the line 5 5 ofFig. 3, looking in the directhe rcversing-plate. I. 1g. 7 is a sectionof a preferred form of glazed opening formed in the wall of theletter-box.

Like numerals refer to like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 represents a side wall of a letter-box or other compartment, and 2 thedoor, lid, or;

cover thereof, which is connected to the box by a hinge,

a is the casing, having lugs 5 and a keyhole or other form of slot, 6,adapted to pass back of the heads of screws 7, one of which is providedwith an ordinary thumbnut, S, to

Fig. 5 is a central vertical section x (i is a pcrsliiective of SerialNo. 272,597. (No model.)

facilitate the attachment and removal of the case for the'purpose ofready access to the mechanism of theindicator to adjust or regulate thesame. The case is also provided with a seat or aperture, 9, for thereception of a pivot, 10*, for the operating-lever 11, which at itsouter end is provided with an anti-friction roller, 12, which bearsagainst the door 2 of the box, and is yieldingly held in contacttherewith by a spring, 13, (see Figs. 2 and 3,)

against the pin 14 on the lever. The lever 11 is slotted, as at 15, soas to move longitudinally on its pivot 10. The inner end of the lever isadapted to fit the teeth of the ratchet 16, (see dotted lines, Fig. 3,)formed on the under side of the dial-plate 17. This dialplate bears uponupper surface a series of characters indicating the successive times ofcollection of mail matter or the successive times at which the box orcompartment is to be opened.

at each opening of the door 2 the spring causes the lever 11. to moveoutwardly for a distance sufficient to bring its inner end backward overone teeth. of the ratchet 16 on the under surface of the dial, and thatthe act of closing the door will cause the lever to move inwardly a likedistance, so as to move the dial the distance of one teeth of itsratchet, thereby exposing anew series of cl'iaracters or a subdialannouncing the time of a successive opening of the box or collection ofmail.

.18 represents a gravity-pawl, the pivot 19 of which is seated in thecase 1-, the point of the pawl being held normally in the path of the 3teeth of the ratchet 16 on the dial, so that said dial is retained frombackward rotation The means 1. unless otherwise operated upon.

, of the dial consists of a spring, 20, one end of I which is secured tothe dial, as at 21,an-d' the other to the pivot-bolt 10, as clearlyshown in Fig. 2. Jhe'pivot-bolt has a diametrical slot, 11*, which maybe utilized as a means, in coni nection with. an ordinary screw-driver,for preliminarily adjusting the tension of the spring by rotating thebelt, which is finally held against rotation by means of a pin orspline, 22, Fig. 5, seated in the bolt and casing, while the parts areretained in opera- As thus far described, it will be seen that employedfor producing a backward rotation secured at one end to the case andbearing tive posit-ion by means of a screw, 23, and washer, 24-, thelatter resting over and against the end of the spline or pin.

Now it will be noticed that in the act of opening and closing the doorof the compartment or box the spring is wound up, whereby j power isfurnished for reversing the rotation of the dial, so that all of thesub-dials or separate indicating characters on the dial have beenbrought opposite the glazed opening (see Fig. 5) in the wall of the box.The dial may be reversed to bring the first sub-dial opposite saidopening. 'laking the characters shown on the dials in Fig. 2, it will beseen that they indicate times exttnulingfrom 6.10:1. m. to 1.15 p. m. bythe means hereinat'ter described and employed for reversing the dial.

The indications may be changed from the latest to any intermediate timeindicated by sub-dials back to the first, so that at the last collectionof a day the act of opening and closing the box sets the dial tor thefollowing day.

To accomplish the result just above mentioned, a reversiiig-plate, 2c,is employed. This plate is centrally apertured for the reception of androtation upon the bolt 10, and is arranged beneath the dial 1? and itsratchet lb. It has in its periphery a notch, 27, for the reception of as Jring-det nit, 28, secured at 29 to the case and held in. operativeposition relative to the reversingrplate by a screw-pin or lug, 30.

The reversing-plate is also provided with a paw -operat'ing cam, Bl, alug, 32, extending, substantially,to the aperture in the plate, and alug, 33, a distance from said aperture. The lug 33 is extended beyondthe periphery of the plate, as shown at St, in the shape of a toothadapted to take into a curved notch, 35, in the edge and near the end ofthe lever 11.. A stop-lug, 36, projects from the case into the path ofthe lug I33 and teeth 34, so as to prevent rotation ot? thereversing-plate in one direction beyond said stop-lug 36.

lly reference to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the ratchet 16 is providedwith a depending lug, 2-37. This is arranged at such a distance from thecenter or the bolt 10 as to pass inside of the pawl-cam 31 outside ofthe lug 2-32, and to abut against the lug 33. The relative positions ofthe lug 37 and screw 38 with the lugs and cam on plate 26 areillustrated by dotting the lug and screw in Fig. 3, it being understoodthat the plate 16, having said screw and lug, is operatively locatedabove plate 26, as shown by dotted lines, when viewed as in said figureof the drawings.

The screw :38 may be seated in any of the circular series of holes 39 inthe dial, so as to project below the same and to come in contact withthe lug 32.

As thus far described, it will be seen by reference more particularly toliig. 3 that by opening or closing the door of the box the lever 11moves the dial, by means of the ratchet it, one tooth at each doublereciprocation ot the lever, and that durin the rotation of the dial thescrew 38 comes into contact with the lug 3 and carries thereversing-plate with it and the dial, so that the pawl cam 31. isbrought into contact with the free end of the pawl 18, forcing it out ofcontact with the ratchet, when by reason of the power of the spring, asabove described, the dialv and reversing-plate are both carried back tothe starting point. The first function of the screw 38, however, is tomove the reversingplate so as to bring its tooth 34.- into thenotch ot'the lever ll, and the parts are so proportioned that at the time of theescape ot' the gravity-pawl 1.) from the ratchet ll) the inner end ofthe lever 11 is also by the tooth :311: forced out of the path of theteeth of the ratchet, and hence both the dial and reversing-plate arebrought back. to the startingpoint. Now, by simply removing the screw 38from one hole, 3.), to another of the series, the reversal of the dialmay be made to take place after the arrival. and exposure of anysub-dial. at the sight-opening 25 in the box.

The object of the detent 28 is to prevent the rotation of thereversing-plate by a mere friction of the parts and until the screw 38comes into contact with the lug 32 thereof.

Each of the sub-dialshas a hole, 4.0,the object of which is tofacilitate the removal of the disks, t] of paper constituting thesub-dial (or other material bearin g the characters) for thesubstitution of others.

lly reference to Figs. 1 and 5 it will be seen that the case 4 is madeei'rrved along its upper edge, and is extended to cover the entiremechanism inclosed, so that the catching of mail matter upon the case isprevented.

If desired, the key-hole slot 6 maybe simply notched like those in thelugs 5. In fact such a construction is preferable, as the case is morereadily placed or hung upon. the screws 7. The walll of the boxconstitutes the back wall of the case, such being unnecessary as regardsthe case, as allthe operative mechanism is connected with the tront wallof the case. In Fig. 3 the case is shown without an extension to coverthe operating-lever.

The side opening in its preferred form is made by insertinginto a holeformed through. the side wall, 1, of the letter-box where it willdisclose one of the sub-dials an intcriorlyscrew-threaded collar, 4-5,having one or more studs, all], adapted to take into a recess, 47,formed. in. the outer face of the wall 1. The glass 25 is inserted inthe collar 45, and an exteriorly-screw-thrcaded collar, 4:9, is introduced into the collar 45. The flang 48 of said inner collar take abearing against the inner side of. the wall, whereby the is maintainedin position and the outer collar prevented from being rotated so as todisconnect it from the inner eollar from the outside of the box.

lla-ving described my invention and its operation, what I claim is--IIO 1. The combination, with a boX and its cover, of a ratcheted dialcarrying a lug, an interposed ratchet-operating lever, and areversing-plate, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with a box and its cover or door, of a ratcheteddial provided with a circular series of apertures, a ratchetoperatinglever extending from the dial to the door or cover, a screw adapted tofit any hole in the circular series, a reversing-plate, and means,substantially as described, for giving the dial and reversing-platebackward rotation, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with a box and its door or cover, of a reciprocatinglever, a ratcheted dial connected with its pir'ot bya spring andprovided with a reversing-plate-operating lug or screw, areversing-plate having a pawl-releasing cam, and a pivoted pawl arrangedto co-operate with the ratchet of the dial, substantially as specified.

4. In an indicator of the class described, the combination, with a dialhaving a ratchet provided with a lug, of a reversing-plate having apawl-operating cam and a projecting leverdisengaging lug, agravity-pawl, and a ratchetoperating lever, substantially as specified.

5. In an indicator of the class described, a

case for the operating parts, extended to cover the operating-leverthereof and provided with slots or notches adapted to take upon thebodies of screws, one of said screws beingprovided with a thumb-nut,substantially as specified.

6. In an indicator of the class described, a dial having a series ofcircular recesses for sub-dials, as 4.1, a central recess for a springand the head of the dial-pivot, and having on its rear side a ratchet,and through the body of the dial a series of holes communicating withthe dial-recesses, and an. inner series of holes for a removablereversing-plate-operat ing screw or lug, substantially as specified.

7. In an indicator of the class described, a case provided with notchedsuspension-lugs, and having a main annular recess for the reception andoperation of the movable parts of the ii'idicator, and an interior lug,as 36, serving as a stop for a reversing-plate, substantially asspecified.

8. In an indicator-o1 the class described, the combination of a casecarrying a rigid pivot, as 10*, a reciprocating lever mounted thereonand notched, as at 35, a pivot-bolt, as 10, a dial, 17, andreversingplate 26, mounted thereon, a pawl, 18, and a detent, 28,substantially as specified.

9. The reversing-plate 26, provided with a pawl-operating eam,31, thelugs 3.. 133, and the tooth 34:, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

iEORGE A. COLTON.

Witnesses:

H. GIBSON,

1E0. ARCHBOLD.

